A tenderizing and flavor-enhancing marinade uses a trio of Japanese-style liquid seasonings for the chicken – soy sauce, mirin and sake. The addition of ginger and garlic to the blend adds a further flavor boost to these deep-fried chicken morsels.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg/2 lb 4 oz chicken thigh cutlets or fillets, skin on
- 60 ml/2 fl oz/¼ cup shoya (Japanese soy sauce)
- 60 ml/2 fl oz/¼ cup mirin
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger and its juice
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- Katakuriko or potato starch, for coating
- Oil, for deep-frying
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Method:
Remove the bone from the cutlets and cut the chicken into 4 cm/1½ inch squares.
Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, ginger and juice and garlic in a non-metallic bowl and add the chicken. Stir to coat, cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
Fill a deep-fat fryer or large saucepan one-third full of oil. Heat to 180ºC/350ºF, or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds.
Drain the chicken pieces well, discarding the marinade. Lightly coat chicken in the katakuriko and shake off any excess. Deep-fry in batches for 6-7 minutes, or until golden and crisp and the chicken is just cooked through. Drain well on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
Serve with lemon wedges.